A Matter of Honor (Privateer Tales Book 9) (20 page)

"Understood. I'm going forward to work with Ada on our navigation plan. Do you want to start running your checklists?"

"I'm not sure what the point would be. We've more systems in the red than we do anything else," he said.

"Can Meerkat get us back and going in a week?" I asked.

"Depends on how deep Jonathan is willing to dig into his pockets."

"I was thinking, what if we built you and Marny a bunk room above the pop out where the armory is? If we flipped gravity to the forward of the ship, you'd have a nice-sized space," I said.

"It's an idea, let's get through this run and then talk about it," he said. "We're comfortable and I know Marny likes being by the galley and mess. She says she knows everything that's going on in the ship because of that location."

"We'll, we could give Ada that new space and extend your bunk back into where she's at," I said.

"I hear my name," Ada called from the bridge.

Nick nodded thoughtfully. "Sure, pitch the idea to Ada. She'd probably even do the design."

"Design what?" Ada leaned into the room, smiling. I was momentarily distracted by the sheer beauty of her face.

"Uh… we were talking about making the bunk rooms larger by expanding over the armory. There's quite a bit of space there if you rotate the gravity forward," I said.

"And you want me to design it?"

"We were thinking it'd be your space," Nick said. "Although, we were talking about blowing out the wall between the two bunk rooms to give me and Marny more space."

"I'll do it, but I have to say, I enjoy having Jonathan for a bunk mate," she said.

"Does he sleep?" I asked.

"Not really, but he does lie down for several hours. He said they could just stand in the hold if I wanted privacy, but they prefer company," she said.

I shook my head in disbelief. "Weird. Okay, how's your navigation plan coming?"

"All set. The fold-space generator isn't difficult to program, especially with Jonathan on board. I've got us dropping in six hours from Grünholz on a medium burn. We'll be way outside of normal shipping lanes, so there's not much of a chance of anyone being within a hundred thousand kilometers," she said.

"Great. Let's go work through our check lists, such as they are," I said.

Forty minutes later Tabby and Marny made it back to the bridge. Marny was tiring, made obvious by her willingness to sit on the bridge couch.

"All closed up?" I asked.

"Aye, Cap. It was heartbreaking, though. The crew they sent over from
Cape
to get the supplies didn't believe we were coming back. They begged us to take them along," she said.

"That's horrible," Ada gasped.

"It was," Tabby agreed.

"Well, we can't help 'em if we're sitting around here," I said. "Ada, you have the helm."

All hands, prepare for departure
. Ada said.

Tabby jumped up the short flight of stairs to the cockpit and slid into the chair next to Ada.

***

"Belirand cruiser at fifteen thousand kilometers," Ada announced.

It had been eighteen hours since we'd left
Cape of Good Hope
. We'd been sailing on a medium burn for Lèger Gros under our quiet running protocols. Not all of our fixes to the armor were as good as others, but as long as we kept at least fifteen thousand kilometers from other ships, they couldn't see us.

"Slow and quiet," I said.             

"Roger that, Captain," Ada said.

With the damage we'd taken, we wouldn't last two minutes in a firefight.

"We're crossing into Lèger territory in ten, nine…" Ada counted backward for us, although I could see the boundary coming up on a dimmed vid screen.

"Well, here goes nothing," I said.

Turn on transponder
, I said.
Hail Lèger Air Defense
.

"Welcome back,
Hotspur
. How may we be of assistance this fine morning?" The face of a woman I'd talked to before popped up on the forward vid-screen. Darned if I could remember her name.

"Good morning," I said with a broad smile. "We'd like to file our flight plan, destination Lèger Gros."

"Captain Hoffen, if I wasn't a married woman, I'd think you were flirting with me. You know you don't have to file a plan as long as you're sailing under a Lèger flag. I don't suppose getting our attention has anything to do with the Belirand cruiser that's closing on your position?"

"Oh that? We might have recently crossed paths with Belirand."

"You owe me a drink, Captain. I'll let them know we're tracking you on the way in," she said and closed comm.

"That was ballsy," Ada said.

"Learned a couple of things. First, she didn't demand we stow our turrets. That leads me to believe that Belirand hasn't asked or hasn't convinced Lèger to take us into custody. Second, this isn't the first time Lèger Air Defense has been asked to watch approaching ships," I said. "Makes you wonder what other things are going on around here."

"
Incoming hail, Belirand Cruiser Stark Justice
."

"Tell me that's not
Fist of Justice's
sister," I said.

Accept hail
. "
Hotspur
. Go ahead,"

"Captain Hoffen, we're requesting you heave-to for an in-person confab."

I gestured to Ada to keep going.

"Who am I talking with?" I asked.

"Captain Ciaran MacAsgaill, Belirand security services."

"Captain MacAsgaill, with all due respect, we're declining your request. Our recent experience with your sister ship
Fist of Justice
leads me to be suspicious of your motives," I said.

"You can't keep a runnin', Captain," he said. "But, I jus' want tah talk." He spoke with a thick accent I couldn't quite pick out.

"De Laroche Bar, 1700. Don't bring an army," I said.

Close comm.

"You don't want to hear if he accepted your offer?" Ada asked.

"If we make it to Gros, we'll know he accepted my offer," I said.

Yishuv Settlement, Planet
Ophir

"What is wrong with your device?" Captain Gian asked.

"I'm not sure," Merrie said. "It's like it lost power after I launched the portable network router. The weird thing is the router is working just fine."

"I'll get a patrol together," Eliora said.

"Do it. This technology is too important," Gian said.

"Wait," Merrie said. "Don't forget, I have a second quad."

"A second? Just how difficult are these to make?" Gian asked.

"About an hour on the maker machine, but they won't allow me to borrow any more time for the next three tendays," she said.

"I'll have a talk with Bessel," Gian said. "Now, how much time will it take to launch your second machine?"

"One moment." Merrie's fingers flew across a keyboard that was connected via a wire to a metallic box.

The screen lit up again with a view of the farmer's fields to the south west. The picture slowly spun around, catching a guard by surprise, causing him to fall from the chair he had leaned against the wall.

"Was that Terevit?" Shem asked. "Was he sleeping?"

"That wouldn't surprise me," Eliora said, shaking her head in disgust. "I'll be sure to have a word with him."

They all watched as the picture showed the progress of the machine as it flew above the settlement and made its way over the old tannery where they sat. The noise of the machine was like a very loud stinging insect.

"It's just up that hill," Shem said as Merrie directed the machine to fly along the route its twin had just taken.

"My repeater is definitely working," Merrie said. "Look at the signal strength. It was almost fifty percent when we got here last time."

"What of the machine. Can you locate it?" Gian asked.

"Give me a minute. Contact with tree leaves is probably what did it. I need to be careful as it flies lower."

"How low was it flying when it was taken out?" Eliora asked.

"Seven or eight meters."

"It could have been Ophie. Our patrols have been finding more and more pods in the mountains," she said. "Their hearing is particularly good and the noise your machine makes would attract their attention from a long way off."

"What are you asking from me?" Merrie inquired.

"Don't get too low. The Ophie blend into the hillside. I think they'll show themselves if you stay in one place for a while. But stay out of range."

"What's their range?"

"At least seven or eight meters?" Shem suggested.

Merrie shook her head and rolled her eyes, but took the advice to heart and hovered at twenty meters above an open spot for several minutes.

"There. Turn left," Shem said. "Uphill five meters."

"I don't see anything," Merrie said.

"I see one," Eliora said. "They're looking right at the quad."

An Ophie stepped from the cover of the darkened forest, holding a rock the size of a man's fist.

"You think it…?" Merrie pushed forward on her left joystick, causing the quad to lift rapidly as the Ophie launched the rock.

"Now, can I take a patrol out there?" Eliora asked.

"Take two squads. I don't want any casualties," Gian said.

"If you take a walkie-talkie, we'll be able to tell you what we see from the air," Merrie said.

"Show me again," Eliora said.

Merrie turned the quad back toward the Yishuv settlement and flew back, landing on top of the northern wall, orienting the camera to look out at the forest. She then retrieved a walkie-talkie from beneath her workbench.

"It's simple. Push the button to talk. If your button is pushed, you can't receive messages from anyone else. Otherwise, when you're talking, everyone on your channel hears what you say."

"What's a channel?"

"Just a number so people can have private conversations. These have forty channels. See, you're on channel six. Make sure you're on the same channel and you're good to go," she said.

"Captain, keep this one. I'll pick up two more at the barracks and we'll set out," Eliora said. "If I hurry, I'll be able to grab the sixteen hundred patrol before they head out."

"Are you going to split your squads?" Gian asked.

"Yes. I'll lead a squad down from the north onto their position and Bashi will lead a group in from the east. We'll trap them on the ridge where Merrie's first quad machine was brought down."

"A good plan," Shem said. "I'd like to take the blaster rifle onto the north wall. They're only three hundred meters out and it's possible I could get an open shot."

"Do it," Gian said.

Thirty minutes later Eliora had positioned her squad a hundred meters north of the last reported position of the Ophie.

"Bashi, can you hear me?" Eliora asked.

"Yes."

"Hold there. Merrie, we're in position, fly your quad machine back to the last location."

"She's lifting off and is en route," Gian responded.

Eliora was startled by how loud the talkie sounded in the quiet forest. She twisted the volume control down. It would be better not to hear him than to attract the Ophie's attention.

"Weapons at the ready," she ordered her squad.

She held the talkie up and depressed the button. "Bashi, move in slowly. We'll pinch down from the top."

"We're on the move."

Merrie's machine finally arrived at the location where she'd encountered the Ophie only a short time previous. She slowly turned the quad, scanning the forest below and not finding anything. The leaves of the trees obscuring her view.

"I have to get lower. I can't see through the canopy," she said.

"Careful, remember what they did to your last bird," Gian warned.

"I will," she said and slowly descended.

"Not too low," Gian said.

"There," Merrie said. "Top of the screen on the right."

Gian looked as Merrie centered the quad's camera on an Ophie. It was staring up at the quad curiously, holding a rock.

"Where are the others?" Gian asked. "They always travel in a pod of five."

"I thought Eliora said they set an ambush on her last patrol?" Merrie said.

"You think they have some clue as to the function of your quad?" Gian asked.

"No, but they wouldn't need to. They'd just have to think it's related to us."

"Eliora and Bashi are plenty careful. They know the score and thanks to Amon's swords, two squads are more than an even match for a pod," he said.

"You have to tell her it could be a trap," Merrie said.

"No can do. Ophie hearing is too sensitive, they'd hear your talkie," he said. "Best to let Eliora handle it from this point. The fact that your machine is distracting one of them is a nice bonus, though. Is there any way to get sound on this thing?"

"Maybe, but we'd have a tough time picking up anything over the rotor's noise."

"Damn. This is worse than waiting for them to return," Gian said.

"Contact." The talkie on the table came to life with Eliora's voice. The button must have been locked down as the sounds of the talkie being dropped on the ground could be heard.

The Ophie that had been watching the quad spun around and sprinted up the mountain. Merrie flew after him, but had a difficult time negotiating the trees.

"Faster," Gian urged.

The quad came upon the scene of a pitched battle. The sound from Eliora's still transmitting talkie providing sound to the battle. To Merrie's eyes, the Ophie towered over the human patrol, although the smaller humans were considerably faster. A gout of blood spurted upward as an Ophie club made contact, dropping the smaller man who'd advanced.

"Close ranks," Eliora yelled, jumping to the front of her quad.

"Where's Bashi?" Gian asked, rhetorically.

He picked up the talkie and pressed the button to transmit on the talkie. "Bashi, all haste, Eliora's squad is under attack."

"He can't hear you, Eliora's talkie is still transmitting, it's blocking you," Merrie said.

"Gah, this is maddening," he said.

They watched the battle unfold in front of them. The Ophie's heavy swings were more than making up for their slow speed. The protectors in Eliora's squad barely held off the pressing Ophie.

"At least they're defending themselves." Gian observed as his protectors deflected the clubs with their long swords.

"Retreat. Up the hill," Eliora commanded.

"Why doesn't she parry?" Merrie asked. "She's just getting under its strikes."

"Her katana is brittle. That club would shatter it. She prefers speed over brawn. It's a good choice for a smaller person," he explained.

Merrie flew the quad in closer as Eliora's squad scrabbled back, up a rocky rise.

"What's she doing?"

"She's trying to gain higher ground. It's a small advantage with Ophie, but it's something," he said. "Damn it, where's Bashi?"

A thought struck Merrie and she directed the quad to dive down, lining up even with the Ophie attacking Eliora. She fired one of the network repeaters into its back, causing the quad to lurch backward. The Ophie spun and with deadly accuracy mashed its club into the quad, the screen going blank.

"Shite," Gian said.

"Sorry, Captain," she said. "The idea just hit me."

"I guess we'll just listen," he said.

"How can you be so calm?"

"Shhh…"

The sounds of battle continued for several more minutes and finally there was quiet. A few moments after that, they heard rustling as someone or something picked up the talkie.

"Captain?" Eliora's voice came through.

"Status, Eliora," Gian said.

"Two down, three wounded. I shouldn't have split the squads," she said.

"Where's Bashi?"

"He's here. There was a second pod. If not for Shem, it might have been a total loss," she said.

"How's that?"

"Eliora pulled the fight up the hill to a clearing. It gave me line of sight," Shem cut in.

***

"Council will come to order," Councilwoman Peraf said, placing the pink crystal in its golden mounting onto the table.

"Captain Gian, you've requested this meeting, the floor is yours," Peraf said.

"Honored members of the council, the news I have is not good. I have reason to believe that an attack is imminent and would like to make plans accordingly," he said.

"That's quite a statement," Bedros said. "How do you back this up?"

"The patrols and attacks from the Ophie are increasing at an alarming rate. We've been attacked by more Ophie in the last six tendays than in the preceding hundred years," Gian answered.

"By all accounts, your recent encounters have been wildly successful. Share the good news, Captain. What have your encounter survival rates been?" Bedros asked.

"It is true. When our patrols have come into contact with the Ophie, we have sustained less than twenty percent casualties. This is mostly due to the new weapons from our apprentice engineer Merrie and smith Amon."

"And, you're here to tell us you need more resources and higher priority - this and that?"

"No, Mr. Bedros. I'm here to tell you that an attack of a size we've never seen is imminent."

"How can you be so sure?" Peraf asked.

"Our settlement is being scouted. The Ophie are mapping out our patrol routes and we are encountering different tribes. Throughout our entire history, we've been attacked by a single tribe. During the last four tendays, we've seen attacks from three entirely different tribes. The Ophie are banding together and I believe they will be mounting an attack of a scale we've never seen before," Gian said.

"You're speculating," Bedros said.

"It's my job to anticipate the movement of the Ophie and I'm telling you that things have changed. If we don't prepare now, we could lose the entire settlement."

"You're despicable! Using a few attacks to improve your position," Bedros exclaimed.

"Mr. Bedros, that's enough. There is no reason to insult Captain Gian," Peraf said sternly. "Let's say you're right, Captain. What would you have us do?"

"I have four requests. First, we need to cut the forest back. I want a three hundred meter buffer around the entire settlement…."

"Seriously?"

"Second." Gian continued. "We have enough weapons that every citizen between twelve and fifty years should be equipped and trained. And third, we need priority of the maker machine to be given to the apprentice engineer Merrie."

"Is that all?" Bedros asked sarcastically.

"No. We must double the size of the protectorate immediately."

"That would be ten percent of our population, we'd get nothing else done. Do you know how many farmers we've lost this year alone?" Bedros asked.